1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a telephone control apparatus for setting a ringtone pattern corresponding to an incoming call group for a case where there is a call to the incoming call group of a telephone terminal and a telephone system including the telephone control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In related art, different incoming call groups can be respectively set to one or more keys provided in a multi-function telephone and, when there is an incoming call to the incoming call group set to the respective keys, the multi-function telephone which is set to the incoming call group or belongs to the incoming call group in other words is made to ring with a ringtone for the incoming call group. The ringtone for the incoming call group is common to all incoming call groups and the same ringtone has been used to ring when there is an incoming call to any of the incoming call groups. Further, since the same ringtone is used to ring every time when there is an incoming call to one of the incoming call groups and when there are calls to plural incoming call groups, it is difficult to distinguish which incoming call group is actually receiving the call. It is also difficult to distinguish whether there is an incoming call to one of the incoming call groups or there are incoming calls to two or more incoming call groups.
Thus, for example, a telephone device has been proposed which is capable of using different ringtones for each telephone terminal or each group of telephone terminals and corresponding to line types or lines of an incoming call (for example, see JP-A No. 62-214759).
Further, a telephone exchange has been proposed which is capable of using different ringtones for each direct inward dialing extension number even when the caller type is the same or using different ringtones for each telephone line group even when the caller type is the same (for example, see JP-A No. 2003-009198).